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Start living a healthy lifestyle

2010-11-22T18:42:00.006+02:00

How to start living a healthier lifestyle

Transcript

How to start living a healthier lifestyle

JENNIFER: I’m Jennifer Morris for howdini. We’d all like to live a , right. Whether that means getting more exercise, or , or losing weight. But how do you get started, what do you do? We’re back here with Trisha Calvo, executive editor of Shape Magazine with some more helpful hints. Hi.
TRISHA: Hi.
JENNIFER: How are you?
TRISHA: Good.
JENNIFER: So you have a half plate rule, can you tell me about what that is?
TRISHA: Yes. I think for health or weight loss one of the most important things you can do is with fruits and vegetables at every meal. What that does is help keep your calories under control. And it also ensures that you are getting plenty of fiber, photochemicals, vitamins, and minerals in your diet. Which help control all your risk factors for diseases like heart disease, cancer, and it can even keep your skin looking wrinkle free and smooth and glowing.
JENNIFER: So what about the medical piece, a lot of people don’t go to the doctor enough, or they make appointments . What do you think about that?
TRISHA: I think that, pick a day, whether it’s your birthday, and I think that’s a great day to sort of . You're a year older, and I think what you can do is sit down and you can say, ok, this week I’m going to make all of my doctors appointments. I’m going to schedule a for my skin cancer check-up. I’m going to get a mammogram if I’m a woman. I’m going to schedule my gynecology appointment so I can get my Pap Smear and check-up. I’m going to schedule my physical, now you obviously don’t have to go to the doctor on that week. Take an hour one day, and you just sit down and make all the appointments over the next couple of months, you’ll have it in your calendar. And you will make sure you are that you need to catch a problem before it becomes a real problem.
JENNIFER: And lastly what about , we live such busy lives, it’s hard to find down time?
TRISHA: We are so busy and stress increasingly researchers show that stress has become a factor in a lot of diseases. Everything from catching a cold, to developing cancer, to developing heart disease, and even depression. So it’s very important during the day. It can be anything that you enjoy. It doesn’t have to be, oh I need to get a massage, I need to officially relax. It could just be I love my dog. I’m going to play with my dog for ten minutes; I’m going to make that my coming home ritual. Or, I love historical fiction; I’m just going to carve out fifteen minutes a day to read something that I really enjoy. I personally, I am not happy if I am not reading a novel that I’m really engrossed in. And I just make sure that I have one in my bag at all times. And whenever I have a couple of minutes I pull it open and it makes me happy. And it . And I think that everyone has something special like that that they-
JENNIFER: I mean its nice to think of it because I think we get overwhelmed looking at when there are small things that you can do throughout the day. So what about exercise is-
TRISHA: Walking is one of the best exercises and you can do it anywhere, and it’s easy to do. You don’t have to be to be able to do it. Ten minutes, just take ten minutes.
JENNIFER: How many calories in ten minutes?
TRISHA: A hundred forty-five pound woman walking briskly .
JENNIFER: Amazing.
TRISHA: Though you got to to burn that many but brisk walking is great for your heart. Even slow walking is good for you, its good for your health, its good for your weight control. You know, obviously the more you can walk; you can instead of the elevator. Walk to appointments, get off, park your car a little further away from the entrance to your office, the mall. Walk, even those little things during the day .
JENNIFER: Thanks, more great advice from Trisha Calvo, executive editor of Shape Magazine. I’m Jennifer Morris for howdini.

Bite the bullet

2009-12-22T00:44:00.006+02:00

Watch the video with the phrase 'bite the bullet' and think of your own examples. You might as well run a Google search with it to see how it's used.

Cut from the same cloth

2009-11-22T00:43:00.002+02:00

Watch and think of your own examples. You can also run a Google search to get more ideas and see how the expression is used.

ROCK THE BOAT

2009-10-22T00:42:00.002+03:00

Watch and think of your own examples. Run a Google search for more ideas and see how it's used.

PLAY IT BY EAR

2009-09-22T00:40:00.001+03:00

Watch and think of your own example with the phrase. Run a Google search to see more uses.

ACHILLES' HEEL

2009-08-22T00:38:00.000+03:00

Watch and think of your own examples with the expression from the video. Run a Google search to get ideas and see how it is used in various contexts.

Touching all the bases

2009-07-25T17:57:00.005+03:00

Baseball is traditionally known as America's national pastime. It is part of the American spirit. Even the President gets involved and is asked to throw the first ball in the first game of the new season.

Through the years, baseball has had a broad impact on popular culture in the United States. No wonder so many expressions have actually derived from baseball terms.

It's played by two teams of 9 players each, where one of the teams throws a small round ball called a baseball, and the other team tries to hit it with a bat. Teams get points by running and touching markers on the ground called "bases". You can't score a point if you haven't touched all the four bases.

This is where the expression "touch all the bases" comes from . You can't complete a business deal before you touch all the bases. The two sides have to sit down and discuss all the aspects of the deal before they reach an agreement.

When planning on an important move, a person or a business would want to ensure safety and make sure that everything goes well. This is where you would probably say that you need to cover all your bases. That is, you have to figure out all the details and be prepared for anything that might come up along the way.

Sometimes, a friend of yours is in a serious situation requiring some action but he's doing nothing about it. What you would probably do is urge your friend to focus and take action. Then you might as well tell them, "You know what, you're completely off base if you think this problem will take care of itself. You need to step up to the plate and do something."

On the flip side, isn't it funny how easier it is to spot other people's mistakes than our own? It might be because of our ego or our impaired judgement when we're under the pressure of circumstances. But when you're the one facing a tough situation, it's like a whole new ball game. It's completely different when you have to find a solution for yourself or make an important decision, isn't it?

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Now you can make your own sentences with the expressions in bold and use them in our online conversation. Make single sentences or put your ideas together and write a short story as the one above. Post them here to share with other English students.

The 800-pound Gorilla

2009-07-22T00:35:00.003+03:00

Watch the video with the expression 'the 800-pound gorilla' and think of your own examples with it. You can also run a Google search with the phrase to get some ideas and see how it is used.

Commonly Used Idioms in American Culture

2009-06-24T17:18:00.004+03:00

An idiom is an expression where the words together have a meaning that is different from the dictionary definitions of the individual words. Like:
"pull someone's leg" [joke]
"feel under the weather" [feel ill]
etc

Why learn idioms?

What makes learning idiomatic language important is the fact that much of the everyday speech is based on idioms. For one thing, knowing and being able to recognize them in spoken speech will help you understand a native speaker better. Once you master them and become more fluent in English, you will be able to communicate better, as well.

Understanding idioms can be a difficult task for someone not native of America. Here are several popular idioms used in American culture, and the literal meaning behind them.
http://www.associatedcontent.comarticle/1352909/commonly_used_idioms_in_american_culture.html

Salonpas - Pain Relief Patch

2009-06-22T00:30:00.001+03:00

Virtual Worlds

2009-06-17T12:27:00.002+03:00

Virtual Worlds

Microsoft Surface Computer

2009-06-15T01:26:00.001+03:00

Microsoft Surface Computer

Martin Luther King's I Have A Dream Speech

2009-06-15T01:20:00.009+03:00

"I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slaveowners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood."

This quote comes from the famous Martin Luther King's speech "I have a dream", dramatically delivered from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. It was a defining moment of the American Civil Rights Movement and is considered to be one of the best speeches ever given, where the key message is that all people are created equal and, although not the case in America at the time, King felt it must be the case for the future.

Watch the video and read the script here.

Healthy Lifestyle

2009-06-02T12:16:00.011+03:00

"You hear a lot about living a healthy lifestyle, but what does that mean? In general, a healthy person doesn't smoke, is at a healthy weight, eats healthy and exercises. Sounds simple, doesn't it?

The trick to healthy living is making small changes...taking more steps, adding fruit to your cereal, having an extra glass of water...these are just a few ways you can start living healthy without drastic changes.
...
One of the biggest problems in America today is lack of activity. We know it's good for us but avoid it like the plague either because we're used to being sedentary or afraid that exercise has to be vigorous to be worth our time. The truth is, movement is movement and the more you do, the healthier you'll be. Even moderate activities like chores, gardening and walking can make a difference. "

source: http://exercise.about.com/od/healthinjuries/a/healthylifestyl.htm

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Watch this video clip on the topic of health and exercise, and then answer the questions based on what you see and hear. Transcript available, too.

Using Metro Bus and Metro Rail in Washington DC

2009-04-21T00:07:00.004+03:00

Transport facts

The Statue of Liberty

2009-04-20T00:00:00.002+03:00

The Statue of Liberty

Bless you!

2009-04-19T23:30:00.000+03:00

sneezing

Interview with Derek - a Canadian living in Japan

2009-04-18T21:17:00.001+03:00

Interview With Derek

What British people think of Americans

2009-04-17T21:10:00.001+03:00

What Are Americans Like

Facebook

2009-04-15T15:59:00.000+03:00

facebook

The Wright Brothers

2009-04-14T15:56:00.000+03:00

The Wright Brothers

Red River Flood Watch

2009-04-13T15:55:00.000+03:00

Red River Flood Watch

Tipping Rules

2009-03-26T16:04:00.000+02:00

Tipping Etiquette

Students Expelled from School

2009-03-21T15:54:00.000+02:00

Show 357 Wednesday 25 April

Solar Panels

2009-03-14T15:46:00.000+02:00

How it's made - Solar panels

Social Networking

2009-03-10T15:32:00.000+02:00

Social Networking

Interview Heath Ledger

2009-03-07T15:35:00.001+02:00

Interview Heath Ledger

Jennifer Aniston on Dating

2009-03-04T15:31:00.001+02:00

On dating

Lion Cubs

2009-02-23T15:28:00.000+02:00

Lion Cubs Take on the World

Prime Ministor visits High School

2009-02-19T15:44:00.000+02:00

The Prime Minister visits Preston Manor High School

Calgary, Canada

2009-02-13T15:33:00.000+02:00

Calgary, Canada

Bottled Peaches

2009-02-13T15:21:00.000+02:00

Bottled Peaches

House and Furniture

2009-02-12T15:41:00.000+02:00

House Rooms and some Furniture

Natto

2009-02-07T15:18:00.000+02:00

Natto

Battery Hack

2009-02-01T14:46:00.000+02:00

battery hack

2009-01-21T19:58:00.000+02:00

Alec Greven and his book "How to Talk to Girls"

American Airlines

2009-01-20T15:48:00.000+02:00

American Airlines

How to Make Chocolate Brownies

2009-01-13T14:44:00.000+02:00

How to Make Chocolate Brownies.

Taking the Bus in Tel Aviv

2009-01-05T12:29:00.000+02:00

Taking the bus in Tel Aviv